Solvents derived from renewable biological feedstocks that are non-toxic and have very good environmental properties are becoming highly desirable for replacement of many halogenated or other toxic solvents. D-limonene is a biodegradable cleaning solvent and degreaser occurring in nature as the main component of citrus peel oil. These user-friendly characteristics encourage the use of d-limonene in solvent applications. However, d-limonene lacks some physical properties that limit its applicability to more widespread use.
D-limonene is not water-miscible and consequently not easily water-rinsable and is considered a non-aqueous cleaning solvent. D-limonene is a slow-drying solvent that does not quickly evaporate from surfaces to which it has been applied.
In many cleaning applications, water miscibility is important. Being able to rinse a solvent-cleaned surface with water after the solvent cleaning step is preferable to rinsing with an organic solvent. Furthermore, aqueous rinses are often easier to handle and dispose of after application. Thus, water rinse ability is highly desirable in a cleaning solvent for economic and environmental reasons.
It is an object of the present disclosure to provide cleaning compositions that include environmentally desirable solvent components and which also provide superior cleaning of surfaces as a replacement for d-limonene or other solvents with limitations enumerated herein.
It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide cleaning compositions that are food-safe such that no rinse step is required.